Quadri: ITTF award will propel me

How early did you start playing table tennis?I started playing table tennis when I was 7 years old which was about 19 years ago. Why did you choose to play table tennis?I chose to play table tennis because it’s so easy to play right from the beginning. One does not need any difficult skills. One […]

How early did you start playing table tennis?
I started playing table tennis when I was 7 years old which was about 19 years ago.
Why did you choose to play table tennis?
I chose to play table tennis because it’s so easy to play right from the beginning. One does not need any difficult skills. One does not need much equipment to play tennis. Another reason is that it comes with fewer injuries unlike other sports. Finally, I chose to play table tennis because it’s an individual sport which involves individual effort.
Looking back, how would you describe year 2014, in terms of your achievements?
In terms of achievement since I started playing table tennis, I can tell you that year 2014 was my best. I achieved a lot of things. It was in the same year that I rose to number 30 in the world and I won the men’s Star Player of the Year award. You can now understand why the year will remain indelible in my memory.
But what was your happiest moment in year 2014?
My happiest moment in 2014 was when I saw that my ranking in the world improved to 30. I wept when I saw my ranking due to excessive happiness. I was overwhelmed with happiness. And I tell you, this award will propel me to achieving greater things.
You have just been named men’s Star Player of the Year by the International Table Tennis Federation. What does this mean to you?
I feel so happy and great for been named the Star Player of 2014 but it does not mean that I am the best table tennis player in the world. The award means that my performances in year 2014 have been recognised by the International Table Tennis Federation. It means a lot to the whole of Africa. Over all, it means I am one of the best table tennis players in the world.
What targets have you set for yourself in this year?
There are several targets which I hope to meet in order to maintain or improve on my world ranking. As a member of Nigerian team to African Championships in Cairo, I will be very happy if I can be one of the players to guide Nigeria to victory in men’s team. I want to win the Individual event at the African championships which I am yet to win. I will be so glad if I can win it. Also retaining my African Singles Cup which I won last year is another target for this year. Furthermore, winning All African Games individual event is also my target because it would qualify me to Olympic Games which is one of my major targets this year. And if I can surpass my World Cup record, I will be extremely happy. These are tough targets but with God all things are possible.
Could you elucidate on your plans towards 2016 Olympic Games?
 As a matter of fact, qualifying for Olympic Games is my top priority this year but before I begin to think about the Olympics, I must first qualify for African Games which involves playing trials against Nigerian players and only those who qualify will make the Nigerian team. If am lucky enough to make the team, I will then hope and pray to do well in the All Africa Games to qualify for 2016 Olympic Games.
When you started, who gave you the inspiration and motivation you needed?
Mr Oluwole Abolarin inspired me to start playing table tennis when I was 7 years old in Oyo town, Oyo state. If not for him, I wouldn’t be where I am presently. I can say he sowed the seed in me.
What were the challenges you encountered when you started?
The first challenge was my parents who did not want me to play the game too much. They wanted me to concentrate on my education. I was lucky that in year 2000 I won a national cadet tournament which made my parents read about me in the media and that was the turning point. From then on, they supported me fully.  Sometimes they gave me money to buy little equipment provided that they have but I never forced them to buy equipment for me. They have been supporting me a lot in prayers which is the most important of all. I really prefer getting prayers from them to any other thing.
Secondly, getting equipment was the biggest problem then as I had no money to buy equipment and always had to beg for used rubbers from older players before I could play.
When you started, did you believe you would get to this level?
When I started playing, I never saw myself as a future champion but I guessed that the man called Oluwole Abolarin believed in my potentials to be a champion. Sometimes I really didn’t take training serious because I took it as a way of catching fun. However, I was lucky because the table tennis hall was located about 50 meters from my house and the tennis tables belonged to Abolarin so I didn’t have to pay anything to practise because the man really had interest in me.
What is your assessment of table tennis in Nigeria?
In the days of old, table tennis in Nigeria was the best as our national team was always winning 7 gold medals at the African Games. Then, table tennis in Nigeria was promoted by several sponsors and it was so easy for players to improve. 7 or 8 years ago, the game so declined in Nigeria that we hardly featured in one international tournament in a year and this really affected the game. One and half years ago, we got  committed federation members and new president who are ready to take the game to the next level by looking for sponsors in the nooks and crannies of the country . Presently the game is almost back to the level it was many years ago.
As a matter of fact, the feat that table tennis achieved last year is a sign that the game is almost back to the normal level but the federation needs more funds to embark on youth development programmes to take the game to a greater height.
How many times have you represented Nigeria and how many laurels have you won?
I can’t really remember the number of times I have represented the country and the number of trophies I have won but I can seriously say that I have been a regular member of Nigerian senior national team since 2007.
Nigerian athletes usually complain of lack of sponsors. Do you have a similar problem?
It will surprise you to know that even as I have risen to the pinnacle of my career, I have no sponsor. I still use my money and support from my federation president to attend tournaments.  I am yet to get a sponsor in Nigeria and I will be very happy if I can get some sponsors so as to be able to maintain my world ranking and also achieve more things this year
What was your most difficult match in the year 2014?
My most difficult match and most difficult opponent in 2014 was my match against Patrick Baum of Germany, a left handed player with great service.  It was the most difficult because I could not return his services perfectly which made me lose so easily against him.
Did you have any major regret in 2014?
My major regret in 2014 was that it was so difficult to get money to play tournaments regularly and it was not so easy for our federation president to be supporting me all the time. Sometime in 2014, I used my whole salary to attend a tournament and that made life really difficult for me. But after that, I have been enjoying brighter fortune in the game of table tennis and presently I am one of the most renowned players in world table tennis.
How do you relax when you are not playing?
Surfing Internet is my best relaxation method. I practise five hours per day and some of the remaining hours are for surfing Internet just to relax and sleep.
What is your favourite food?
I really don’t have a favorite food but I love almost all the yoruba’s swallow foods.
What is your favourite music?
As a matter of fact, I don’t have favorite music because songs continue to come and go. But I must confess that Nigerian musicians are great to listen to.
What informed your choice of a table tennis player for a wife?
I decided to marry a fellow player because it’s important to marry someone that will understand me better. As a player, my wife understands that I must travel and practice both home and away. An ‘outsider’ won’t understand some of these things and it could lead to early divorce.
Finally, I decided to marry my wife because we have been together for so long in national and training camps. We understood each other very well and this is the most important of all in any marriage or relationship.